๐— ๐—ช๐——๐—˜๐—–๐—– ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐˜‚๐—ฐ๐˜๐˜€ ๐—•๐—”๐—ฅ๐— ๐— -๐—ช๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐—จ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ท๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜ ๐—•๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—ก

Jul1

The Moro Women Development and Cultural Center Inc. (MWDECC) has successfully conducted its series of Multi-Stakeholder Community Consultations and Peace Agenda Development across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region under the project Bangsamoro Outlook for Next Horizon (BORN).

These activities provided platforms for civil society organizations and community members to reflect on the progress of the peace process and share perspectives on its future direction.

The consultations conducted across Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA) were carried out in coordination with the Peace Implementing Panels, local government units, and existing peace and security mechanisms within the GPH-MILF Peace Process. The primary objective was to develop a community peace agenda, which will be presented at the upcoming Peace Conference. This agenda is intended to strengthen future policy development and support the promotion of sustainable peace and development in the Bangsamoro region.

MWDECC Executive Director Baina Samayatin highlighted during the consultations the importance of empowering communities and safeguarding human rights. She emphasized that rights holders are entitled to dignity, freedom, and equal opportunities, while duty bearersโ€”authorities and institutionsโ€”are responsible for upholding these rights. The final phase of these consultations was conducted in Jolo, Sulu marking the culmination of extensive grassroots dialogue within the region.

UNDP and MWDECC Turn Over Livelihood Equipment to Empower Womenโ€™s Cooperative in Maguindanao del Sur

Jun13

Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Surโ€“ In a continuing effort to uplift women in conflict-affected and marginalized communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, Inc. (MWDECC), turned over key livelihood equipment to Wโ€™ Powered Printing and Souvenir Marketing, a women-led cooperative in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, on June 3, 2025.ย 

The following equipment was provided: 

  • 1 Binding Machine
  • 1 Lamination Machine
  • 1 Auto Tumbler Heat Press
  • 1 Sublimation Machine
  • 1 Heat Press Machine
  • 1 Dell Laptop

This initiative, under the EmpowerHer: Women Cooperatives in Action program, aims to strengthen women’s cooperatives through targeted capacity building, policy advocacy, and enterprise developmentโ€”boosting members’ economic independence and community resilience. This is the third handovers of equipments to five womenโ€™s cooperatives in Maguindanao del Sur, organized by MWDECC and PBSP, composed of resilient womenโ€”GBV survivors, displaced persons, solo parents, and Indigenous Tiduray members.

Two Moro youth finish post-graduate program in Japan

Sep26

Posted on September 20, 2016

14264136_1445783062104925_4680529307574004307_nTwo Moro youth coming from Bangsamoro Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) finished a post-graduate program in Tokyo, a study grant sponsored by the Japanese government.

Morsidin Husain, a senior member of the United Youth for Peace and Development, and Anisa U. Matula from the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center, graduated last Wednesday (Sept 14) at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) together with 195 students from about 50 countries including 16 others from the Philippines.

The program which is under the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship by Japanese Grant Aid (JDS).

Husain and Matula both took the program Master in Public Policy with concentration on International Development Studies and International Relations respectively.

Husain related that the program was initially intended to government officials, however after the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed in 2013, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) changed the framework to accommodate more Bangsamoro applicants.

โ€œJICA officials are asking why not many Moros are applying. Through Facebook, somehow, we are also trying to help in promoting the program,โ€ Husain said.

Husain, a peace advocate, added, โ€œWe can only hope that this time there will be more applicants.โ€

Applicants coming from NGOs should seek endorsement from the Bangsamoro Transition Commission or Bangsamoro Development Agency.

Aside from Japan, other countries providing scholarship to the Bangsamoro youth are Turkey and Australia.

Some Moro youth are currently enrolled in universities in Turkey taking their respective bachelorโ€™s degrees while more than fifty are taking masterโ€™s degree in partner universities in the country funded by the Australian government.

Author: ย Gandhi Kinjiyo

Source: Luwaran (http://www.luwaran.net/home/index.php/news/76-international/883-two-moro-youth-finish-post-graduate-program-in-japan)

This entry was posted on September 26, 2016, in News.

Kadtabanga Foundation facilitates Community Orientation on the Peace Process

Dec18

COPP_SM

Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao โ€“ A Community Orientation on the Peace Process was conducted by Kadtabanga Foundation on December 13, 2015 at Sitio Sawa Madrasah, Barangay Tuka, Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao to educate residents on the gains of the peace process.

Kadtabanga Foundation Executive Director Giobay S. Diocolano said in her Opening Message that the orientation is part of the activities of a project they are currently implementing in selected municipalities of Maguindanao entitled โ€œBuilding Autonomous and Stable Institutions and Communities for Bangsamoro Advancement through National-level and Grassroots Organizations and Networks or B-BANGON.โ€

โ€œGenerally, this project seeks to ensure that the peace process is more credible and widely supported by all stakeholders, and strengthens local mechanisms for averting the escalation of violence that could affect the progress of the peace process. It was implemented by four local CSOs, such as Kadtabanga Foundation, Moro Women Development and Cultural Center (MWDECC), Mindanao Action for Peace and Development Initiatives (MAPAD), and Bangsamoro Center for Justpeace in the Philippines (BCJP) in partnership with Australian Government and The Asia Foundation (TAF),โ€ she elaborated.

โ€œThis project is being implemented in the 23 municipalities of Maguindanao with Peace and Development Communities (PDCs) and/or those areas where settlers and indigenous peoples (IPs) are predominant,โ€ she added.

Prof. Raby Angkal briefly discussed Bangsamoro History and some salient provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). Open Forum followed to give chance to the participants to share views and ask questions. Continue reading →

Maguindanao Political Leaders call for passage of CAB-Compliant BBL for National Unity and Reconciliation

Nov18

Posted on November 17, 2015

20151110_122156

Buluan, Maguindanao โ€“ Despite the uncertainty of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) being passed by congress, Maguindanao political leaders gathered in a peace dialogue on November 10, 2015 at BBGM Restaurant, Buluan, Maguindanao where they issued a manifesto calling for the passage of a BBL that faithfully complies with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and not the one that will reduce the powers and authority of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

โ€œWe are all living witnesses to how our people โ€“ men, women, children and the elderly โ€“ lost lives and properties, experienced disruption of economic activities and suffered indignity in the evacuation centers brought about by the conflict in Mindanaoโ€, the leaders said in their manifesto.

โ€œWe strongly believe that the BBL submitted by the Office of the President (OP) to the Lower House and the Senate on September 10 last year, can address various forms of injustices committed against the Bangsamoro and, thus, can bring forth dignified peace, meaningful development, unity and reconciliation in the entire country,โ€ they said in their statement.

The peace dialogue was participated by local government units from the provincial level to the municipal level.

Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Chair of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Peace Panel, representatives from the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were invited to the said dialogue.

The Asia Foundation (TAF) Senior Program Officer Noraida Chio challenged the local government units of Maguindanao to be part of the solution and urged them to work together and unite to make the successful peace process a legacy and gift to the future generation of Bangsamoro.

“Wala pong isang Bangsamoro ang hindi nananaginip na sana anytime of the day, makakalakad tayo sa daan ng walang takot. Na sana makita natin ng lahat ng bata ay makapag-aral. Na sana lahat ng mga kabatang Bangsamoro ay makakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Na sana lahat tayo sa Bangsamoro ay uunlad at walang maiiwan,” she said.

Ferrer explained that all efforts had been made and are still being done to successfully pursue the GPH-MILF peace process. She also urged the local government unit leaders in Maguindanao to show everyone what the Bangsamoro can do.

“Ayaw nating magkamali kase kelangan nating ipakita sa buong mundo na ang Bangsamoro ay may kakayahan basta mabigyan ng sapat na political autonomy at sapat na resources. Na kaya nyang paunlarin ang Bangsamoro, kaya nyang paunlarin ang buong Pilipinas dahil ang kaunlaran ng Bangsamoro ay kaunlaran ng buong Pilipinas. Ang tagumpay ng Bangsamoro ay tagumpay ng bawat Pilipino,” Ferrer said.

“BBL or No BBL or Bad BBL, we need to be strong. We need to consolidate the Bangsamoro people. We should rely on our strength and unity of our people. We need to build on the political capacity of our people. We, as a Bangsamoro, we need to strengthen our movement towards self-determination,” said BTC Chair Mohagher Iqbal in a statement read on his behalf by BTC Legal Consultant Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama Alba. Continue reading →